Research Article

Mutagenic Role of Artificial Ultraviolet (UVC) Irradiation on the Growth and Yield of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicon L.) ABDULKAREEM, K. A. 1*, MUSTAPHA, O. T. 1 , GARUBA, T. 1 , KASTURE, A 2 . AND OYEYIOLA, O. B 1 . 1

Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, P.O.BOX 1515,ILORIN,Nigeria. C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, UkaTarsadia University, Maliba Campus, Bardoli-Mahuva Road, Tarsadi, Dist. Surat, Gujarat, India. 394350. 2

ABSTRACT Effects of artificial ultraviolet (UV-C) radiation (254nm) on the growth and yield of Solanum lycopersicon (tomato) accession NGB 01301 were studied. Viable seeds were irradiated with handheld UV lamp (model UVGL55; Science company, USA) for 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min. Treated seeds were sown in plastic buckets at the screened house of the Botanical garden of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria in five replicates. Quantitative data were obtained at maturity, 20 WAS (Weeks After Sowing) and subjected to Analysis of variance using SPSS 16.0 for Windows. Highest germination (93.33%) was obtained in 30 min treatment and the lowest (63.33%) in 10 min exposure. Maximum plant height (53.37 cm) was recorded in 10 min while the least (47.60cm) was in 60 min treatment. Petiole length was highest (2.40 cm) in treatment for 10min, treatment with 50 min produced least petiole length (1.37±0.26 cm). With respect to leaf parameters, optimum performance was recorded in 30 min treatment. However, highest performance in response to UV irradiation with respect to petiole length, number of branches and leaf number occurred in 10 min treatment. Among the exposure time evaluated, 30 min produced early maturing plants with highest fruit yield. Keywords: Mutagenic, Ultraviolent light, radiation, treatment, Solanum lycopersicon.

1. INTRODUCTION (Ultra violet) light (UV- C) is an electromagnetic radiation which ranges from 100 nm to 400 nm (1nm = 10-9m) with a short wavelength and invisible to the human eyes but longer than Xrays. The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) has classified UV spectrum into three bands: UV-A (long-wave) from 315 to 400 nm; UVB (medium-wave) from 280 to 315 nm and UV -C (short-wave) from 100 to 280 nm. UV-C is the radiation with the shortest wavelength, or rather with the higher associated energy [1]. UV-C action on microorganisms in

water, on surfaces and in air is extremely germicidal [2]. The amount of UV-C getting to the earth’s surface is very low because this form of radiation is strongly affected by the ozone layer in the stratosphere except in the mountains as temperature increases along with altitude as a result of absorption of UV by ozone [3]. A human activity that releases dangerous chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) into the atmosphere contributes significantly to the depletion of ozone protective layer. It is envisaged that in the future UV-C radiation would increase due to atmospheric pollution triggered by the depletion of

*Corresponding Author – Abdulkareem K.A., Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, P.O.BOX 1515, ILORIN, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected] Received – 23/03/2015, Accepted – 31/07/2015

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Abdulkareem et al/ Effect of artificial ultraviolet (UV-C) irradiation on Solanum lycopersicon seeds

the ozone stratosphere. And this has ecological implication of increasing UV-C radiation on natural ecosystems and on agricultural productions [4]. It is therefore important to study the effect of this radiation on some crops which are of great economic importance. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) is grown worldwide for its edible fruits, with thousands of cultivars with varying fruit types, shape and colour. It contains vitamins, minerals, fibers and is of high nutritional values. Anti-oxidants such as lycopene that can protect against cancer of the prostate, lung and stomach are said to be present in tomato [5]. Lycopene has also been shown to improve the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays [6]. Tomato is cultivated almost throughout Nigeria and the country ranked 13th in the world production with an average of 1,701,000 tons (FAO, 2010).Tomato production ranks second after potato in global vegetable production with an estimate of about 458.2 million ha being used for its cultivation globally with yield of about 32.8 tons/ha [7]. This crop is no doubt of great economic importance and the study of its response to UV – C irradiation in terms of growth and yield will be of importance in plant breeding programs.

house at the Botanical Garden of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Plants were irrigated daily and necessary cultural practices were provided. Data were collected on germination of the seed and the percentage germinations were estimated. Quantitative growth and morphological data, floral and fruit characteristics data were also collected. Data were subjected to Analysis of Variance with SPSS 16.0 for windows. The means were separated with Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at level of significance P ≤ 0.05. Table 1.Percentage Germination of NGB01301 Treatments duration Germination rate (%) 35.00c 0 min 63.33b 10 min 76.67ab 20 min 93.33a 30 min 83.33ab 40 min 86.67ab 50 min 66.67ab 60 min

Assessment of the effect of UV-C irradiation on tomato (Solanumlycopersicon) was studied by using an irradiation box (19cm x 27cm x 22cm) coated with aluminum sheets and equipped with a UV-C handheld lamp, model UVGL-55(Science company, US ),6W, 254nm/365nm/50 Hz. Seeds were obtained from the National Agency for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NAGRAB) Ibadan, Nigeria. Seeds were divided into seven groups based on irradiation duration. Seeds were placed at a distance of 22cm in the box and were irradiated at durations of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes at exposure of 0.14kJ/m2 3.7kJ/m2 (254nm).

3. RESULTS The irradiated seed germinated 4-6 days after sowing; germination percentage in the 7 treatments was between 93.33 % and 63.33% (Table 1). Significant variations were observed in the treatment mean of some growth and yield parameters under study. Plant height showed significant difference among the treatment duration.Highest plant height was in treatment of 10 min (53.37cm) while the least was in treatment at 60min (47.60cm). Exposure for 10 min produced the highest petiole length of 2.40 cm with the shortest in 50 min (1. 37cm). Highest leaf width was recorded in 30 min (2.03 cm) while the least was in 20 min (1.27 cm) (Table 2). Similarly, maximum leaf length was produced in the 30 min (3.87cm) treatment with the least in 60 min (2.30cm). No significant differences were observed among the treatment mean in the number of branches at p ≤ 0.05 (Table 2). Highest number of leaf was in 10 min (25.33) and the least was obtained in 50 min (12.00). Table 2

5 seeds were sown in plastic buckets of 10 liter capacity filled with sandy- loam soil in 5 replicates for all treatments in Randomized Complete Block Design (CRBD)in the screen

Earliest flowering (65.33 days after sowing (DAS)) was obtained in 30min treatment as compared to the 71.67 (DAS) of the 60 min treatment.

2. MATERIALS AND METHOD

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Abdulkareem et al/ Effect of artificial ultraviolet (UV-C) irradiation on Solanum lycopersicon seeds Table 2: Means of vegetative parameters of NGB 01301 at maturity (20 WAP) TREATMENTS

PH (cm) 53.37b±0.23 52.17c±0.18 51.07d±0.29 49.70e±0.32 48.33f±0.26 47.60g±0.26 55.50a±0.00

10 min 20 min 30 min 40 min 50 min 60 min 0 min

PL (cm) 2.40ab±0.15 1. 90bc±0.10 1.83bc±0.17 1.63c±0.45 1.37c±0.26 1.27c±0.27 3.00a±0.00

LW(cm)

LL (cm)

1.90bc±0.40 1.27c±0.17m 2.03b±0.34 1.97bc±0.33 1.67bc±0.15 1.43bc±0.20 2.80a±0.00

NB

3.40bc±0.35 2.57cd±0.37 3.87ab±0.34 2.93bcd±0.32 2.30d±0.55 1.07bcd±0.23 4.70a±0.00

NL

12.67b±1.86 11.67b±1.20 10.67b±0.88 10.67b±1.20 9.33b±1.67 6 .33b±2.03 18.00a±0.00

25.33ab±10.68 18.67bcd±6.74 21.00abc±8.50 16.67bcd±11.85 15.33d±14.36 10.05cd±5.70 30.00a±0.00

Key: PH= plant height, PL= petiole length, LW= leaf width, LL= leaf length, NB= number of branches, NL= number of leaf

NF NFP

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

0 min

10 min

20 min

30 min

40 min

50 min

60 min

NF

18

13.2

13.61

17.1

12.26

15.26

13.59

NFP

10.05

8.44

6.22

12

5.56

7.2

5.11

FW

32.43

29.63

33.75

39.79

30.4

30.87

28.87

FL

2

2.3

2.33

3.7

1.73

2.23

1.97

FD

4

2.92

2.45

3.02

1.92

2.4

1.5

FW FL FD

Figure 1. Floral and Fruit characteristics of UV effect on S. Lycopersicon. Key: NF: number of flowers, NFP: number of fruit/plant, FW: fruit weight, FL: fruit length, FD: fruit diameter.

Highest numbers of fruits (12.00) with an average weight of 39.79g were produced in 30 min, lowest number of fruit (5.11) was in 60 min having an average weight of (28.87g). 3.70 cm was the highest fruit length and was in 30 min, however the shortest fruit was in 60 min (1.97 cm).Fig 1 showed the mean values of the floral and fruit characteristics evaluated for the treatments. Fig 2 showed the effect of UV-C irradiation on shape and size of Solanum lycopersicon. 4. DISCUSSION Higher exposure to UV-C irradiation has produced reduction in plant growth when compared to the control in this study. This agrees with the work of [8]on UV-C irradiated Juncus effuses plants, which showed significant reduction in plant growth and biomass. The values obtained for plant

height is in consonance with the work of [9] in their work showed that lower dosage produces higher vegetative results and higher level of UVC irradiation on tomatoes plant can lead to plant death. Shorter UV seed irradiation period increases plant height while longer periods of exposures reduce plant height [10]. [11]opined that increase in exposition time to UV-C light causes inhibition of essential enzymatic reactions thereby leading to decrease in the uptake and partitioning of nutrients.Treatment at 30 min in this study produced the highest fruit parameters, The recorded highest fruit parameters in the 30 min exposure time among the treatment may not be unconnected to the fact that lower irradiation (0 to 30 min) allows normal physiological recovery partially [9].

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Abdulkareem et al/ Effect of artificial ultraviolet (UV-C) irradiation on Solanum lycopersicon seeds

(0 min)

(10 min)

(20 min)

(30 min)

(50 min)

(60 min)

Figure 2. Effects of UV-C irradiation on the size and shape of the fruits of Solanum lycopersicon

The treatment of tomato seeds with minimal dosage (up to 30min) of ultra violet irradiation can be used in crop improvement while high dosage (60min and above) of UV-C affects not only the physiological but also the anatomical integrity of the plant. The pigments in the plants can also be affected by the treatment and this may be as a result of photoxidation of chlorophyll [9]. 5. CONCLUSION It is important to find the optimal doses for seed pretreatment for each species. This study has shown that 30 min exposition and with UV- C exposure at 254 nm produced the highest yield in the treatment mean. Though exposition at 60 min did not cause plant death but a reduction in yield was recorded compared to the control. Therefore for the purpose of growth and yield improvement using UV-C irradiation in Solanum lycopersicon 30 min is recommended. 6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We express our sincere thanks to Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, P.O.BOX 1515, ILORIN, Nigeria and C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Uka Tarsadia University, Maliba Campus, Bardoli-Mahuva Road, Tarsadi for their support and for giving permission to carryout laboratory work and for their technical assistance.

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Abdulkareem et al/ Effect of artificial ultraviolet (UV-C) irradiation on Solanum lycopersicon seeds 8. Najeeb U., L Xu Z,AhmedI, Rasheed M, Jilani G, Naeem MS, Shen W and Zhou W. Ultraviolet-C mediated physiological and ultrastructural alterations in Juncus effusus L. shoots. Acta Physiol. Plant.,2011 33: 481-488 9. Castronuovo D, Tataranni G, Lovelli S, Candido V, Sofo A, Scopa A. UV-C irradiation effects on young tomatoe plant. Pakistan Journal of Botany,201446 (3):945- 947

10. Kacharava N, Chanishvilli,Badridze SH, G. Chkhubianishvili, E. Janukashvili N. Effects of seed irradiation on the content of antioxidants in the leaves of kidney bean, cabbage and Beet cultivars. Australian Journal of crop Science,2009 3( 3):137- 145 11. Teramura A.H. Effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on the growth and yield of crop plants. Physiol. Plant.,1983 58(3): 415-427.

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